Bardstown council OKs new FT job to improve City Hall customer service
By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette
Councilman John Royalty, left, and Mayor Bill Sheckles talk privately prior to the start of Tuesday’s City Council meeting. Click image to enlarge.
Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014, 11:45 a.m. — After considerable discussion, the Bardstown City Council approved hiring a third full-time customer service representative for Bardstown City Hall.
The CSRs handle utility payments and sign-up new subscribers for city utilities and cable television. Mike Abel, the city’s chief financial officer, told the council Tuesday night the analog-to-digital conversion of the city’s basic cable TV, along with increased interest in expanded digital channels, is requiring the CSRs to spend more time explaining the digital boxes and how to set them up. Dealing with the cable TV services is time-intensive, Abel explained.
Councilman Tommy Reed questioned city CFO Mike Abel regarding promised savings in employee costs from new billing software the council approved. Click to enlarge.
Several councilman questioned how adding another full-time employee would affect the city budget.
Councilman Tommy Reed asked if there had been any cost savings from the city’s purchase of new utility billing software. Abel said there were no savings in payroll because the software is not fully implemented. Once in place, the number of employee hours for billing will be reduced.
The problem is that interest in cable TV and digital services has increased substantially, and helping those customers pulls CSRs away from assisting other walk-in customers.
Mayor Bill Sheckles explained the additional CSR would help City Hall “provide better customer service. To do that we need to add a person.”
The council voted 5-1 to approve the ordinance, which adds one CSR position and eliminated several other job positions. Councilman Bobby Simpson voted no.
Two of the eliminated positions were the director of the Community Prevention Center and the director’s assistant. The salaries for those jobs were largely paid for by grants, Sheckles said. The center offered drug resistance education aimed at preventing youths from trying or using drugs and alcohol.
In other business, the council:
— unanimously approved zoning changes to allow the Kentucky Bourbon Marketplace, 110 West Flaget Ave., Keystone Liquors, 130 Keystone Ave., and Kroger, 102 West John Rowan Blvd., to have liquor and distilled spirits tasting events at their stores;
— awarded a non-exclusive telecommunications franchise to Bluegrass Network LLC that will allow the company to use portions of the city’s right of way for its fiber-optic network;
— approved changes to the outdoor sales ordinance to include mobile food trucks;
— approved a resolution that the city will take responsibility to maintain the expanded parts of KY 245 between US 62 and US 150.
— unanimously approved a bid for chemicals for the city’s water and sewer treatment plants;
— took no action on bids for electrical system excavation. City engineer Jeff Mills said the bids came in over budget due at least in part to requirements to pay prevailing wage on the project;
— unanimously approved awarding a five-year contract to Cintas for city employee uniform services; and,
— unanimously approved a Design Review Board recommendation for a building addition at Brite Wholesale Electric Supply.
UP NEXT. The next regular meeting of the Bardstown City Council is 7 p.m. March 11 in the council chambers on Xavier Drive.
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